Nitish warns against tampering with environment

PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar has warned against tampering with environment and asked people to love and plant trees. While addressing a function to mark the World Environment Day here, he said that the environment and forest department will soon announce its plan of forestation.

The CM said that excess tampering with environment, pollution and chopping of trees in the name of development and industrialization causes global warning. Increasing use of air conditioners in offices, homes and vehicles is causing more pollution, Nitish said and added that global warming is melting the glaciers rapidly.

Referring to a report about pollution in Falgu river in Gaya, the CM said that he was quite upset to read the report. Nitish asked State Pollution Board chairman Subhash Chandra Singh to rush to Gaya, see the situation personally and submit a report with recommendations for the possible steps to be taken to save the river.

He said that earlier big orchards were found in each village which is now rare and asked people to plant fruit-bearing trees. “Each one should take a pledge to plant at least one tree,” Nitish said while appreciating the practice of tree plantation at Dharahara village in Naugachia in Bhagalpur district on the birth of a girl child.

He directed the environment and forest department to create a cell for internal analysis as to how many trees are planted in a year and how many of them survive.

Chairing the function, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said that under MGNREGA, 6,000 trees will be planted in each panchayat every year. He also said that there is a target to plant one crore trees along the roads and asked people to plant at least 10 trees in their lifetime. Modi said that for banning the use of polybags in the state fully, people`s suggestions would be invited.